Trenching machine with tapered buckets

ABSTRACT

A trench digging device having novel structural features facilitating trench digging operation including a movable continuous digging unit having buckets, each bucket being formed so as to cause the earth to fall into instead of out of the bucket and forming a continuous keying form into which earth is pressed in two planes as the bucket scoops the earth and facilitates sliding out of the earth at the proper medial position of rotation.

United States Patent Zowaski, deceased NOV. 14, 1972 [541 TRENCHING MACHINE WITH TAPERED BUCKETS [72] Inventor: Joseph G. Zowaski, deceased, late of Peach Tree Lane, Goshen, NY. 10924 by Jeanne Zowaski, administratrix [22] Filed: Sept. 8, 1970 [21] Appl. No.; 70,413

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation of Ser. No. 763,288, Sept. 27,

1,721,479 7/1929 Beaumont 172/265 1,430,075 9/1922 Green l72/26.5 221,207 11/1879 Avery ..l98/152 2,004,637 6/ 1935 Schauer ..37/ 191 X 1,801,033 4/1931 Yocum ..37/94 2,894,341 7/1959 Amthor et a1. ..37/97 340,141 4/1886 McLachlan ..37/95 288,197 11/1883 Ackerly ..198/152 Primary ExaminerRobert E. Pulfrey Assistant Examiner-Clifford D. Crowder Attorney-Sommers & Sommers [57] ABSTRACT A trench digging device having novel structural features facilitating trench digging operation including a movable continuous digging unit having buckets, each bucket being formed so as to cause the earth to fall into instead of out of the bucket and forming a continuous keying form into which earth is pressed in two planes as the bucket scoops the earth and facilitates sliding out of the earth at the proper medial position of rotation.

6 Claim, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEDunv 14 m2 SHEEI 1 0F 4 INVENTOR JOSEPH G. ZOWASKI ATTORNEYS PATENTED NOV 14 I972 SHEET t [1F 4 FIGA w T/s FIG.5

INVENW'OR JOSEPH G. ZOWASKI BY Jam/W aiwm,

ATTORNEYS TRENCI-IING MACHINE WITH TAPERED BUCKETS This patent application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 763,288 filed Sept. 27, 1968, now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION This invention relates to a trench digging device for excavating trenches or the like for farming and other uses, and more particularly to a trench digging device adapted to be conveniently and efficiently utilized, and having structural features to enable movable continuous excavation of a trench or ditch by first scooping and receiving earth into the confines of a plurality of buckets thereof and simultaneously compacting and keying said earth into said buckets, then discharging earth at the high point of bucket-carrying wheel position, to be thereafter moved by earth moving means. Said earth moving means receives said discharged earth from said buckets and continuously moves said earth from the vicinity of said wheel and discharges same therebeyond. A feature of the invention is to provide specially designed and contoured excavating buckets which provide firm excavation, retention and smooth release of earth therefrom, enabling efficient move ment of earth and preventing clogging.

Pursuant to the invention, the trench digging machine may be operated conveniently and efficiently, in particular to enable the efficient collection and movement of earth during the process of excavation, movement and disposal thereof, and to release and prevent adhering or collection of earth in the digging means at the point at which the earth is to be discharged.

Devices heretofore proposed for this purpose have generally been objectionable due to their complexity, high cost of manufacture, requirement for substantial maintenance, and inefficiency and clogging in operation. These objections to devices heretofore proposed have been eliminated in the trench digging device of this invention, which is furthermore rugged, strong, durable, and efficient in use.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAV/INGS DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS As will be seen from the drawings, forming part hereof, this invention relates to a trench digging machine which provides continuous efiicient digging of a trench, means being provided therein to prevent adherance and accumulation of earth in the excavating means during the excavating and elevating positions of the respective earth-holding buckets and facilitating automatic discharge at the discharge positions of the buckets, as will be described below.

Pursuant to the invention, a trench digging machine 1 1 (FIGS. 1-3), is provided comprising a movable continuous digging unit 12, which operates in conjunction with means for movement thereof (for example, the tractor machine T of FIG. 1).

The movable continuous digging unit 12 (FIGS. 1-3, for example) comprises excavating buckets 20 carried on a rotatable vertically-oriented wheel 21, with earth moving means 22 disposed and operable therein.

Each of the excavating buckets 20 (FIGS. 1-4) pursuant to the invention, is comprised, for example, of an earth receiving front opening 30, an arcuate back wall 31, apertures 32 in said back wall adjacent the front opening (FIG. 2), side walls 33 spaced apart at front space 34 and back space 35, and having concave interior side surfaces 36, and front continuous cutting edge 37 with bevel cutting surface 38 on angular outwardly curved exterior cutters 39 thereon.

The excavating buckets 20 are carried on said rotatable vertically-oriented wheel 21 which is operated by drive means 40 (FIG. 2). The motor driven gear 41 on movement of the chain drive 42, meshes with the gear teeth 43 on the wheel 21. As the excavating buckets 20 rotate, they dig into and scoop out portions of earth and carry same until they reach an elevated (inverted) position, whereupon earth in the bucket falls from the open front of the bucket (FIGS. 3 and 4) onto the earth moving means 22, such as a conveyor belt, which may be suitably operated by conveyor drive means 44 (FIG. 3) to convey the earth away from the trench.

A cleaning shoe member 45 moves along with the trench digging device 11 at the back thereof, to scoop out and remove loose portions of earth from the trench bottom, assuring that the bottom of the trench will be cleared of loose earth. The entire frame member 46 may be adjusted along a vertical track by track means 47 to allow adjustment for the depth of excavation of the trench. Further adjustment can be effected by movement of the cable and pulley means 48 to raise the frame member 46 and the movable continuous digging unit 12 at an angle to the ground in order to transport the entire trench digging device from the trench area to another site. A contour plate 50 (FIGS. 2 and 3) is provided along an interior portion of the rotatable verti- Cally-oriented wheel 21, and is further provided with adjustment means 51 and a slide portion 52.

In operation (FIG. 1), the trench digging machine 1 1, which is of the type which includes a movable continuous digging unit 12 having a plurality of excavating buckets 20 mounted about the periphery of a rotatable vertically oriented wheel 21, said buckets being open (30) at the front side thereof in the direction of rotation of said wheel, for first scooping and receiving earth and keying it therein and thereafter discharging the earth. The device is so constructed that when said wheel is positioned for trench digging, said buckets scoop earth at the low points of wheel rotation and discharge earth at the high points of wheel rotation; earth moving means 22 are adapted thereto to receive said discharged earth from said excavating buckets 20 and to continuously move said earth from the vicinity of said wheel. Pursuant to my improvement, (FIGS. 3

and 4) each of said excavating buckets includes a plurality of apertures 32 provided in an otherwise continuous arcuate bucket back wall 31, and further includes spaced side walls 33 forming said earth-receiving front opening and extending therefrom to said back wall, said side walls 33 defining generally converging, spaced apart, straight edges at said earth receiving front opening and being there so spaced apart a given distance for front space 34, and said side walls 33 being spaced apart, at said back wall, a distance (FIG. 4) greater than the said given distance of front space of the side walls at said front opening 30, whereby, as said wheel rotates, earth will first be firmly moved into and held in the bucket, and pressed and keyed therein in two planes so as to effectively wedge the earth in the buckets as it is being dug and effectively hold the earth therein against discharge until the bucket approaches the high point in rotation of said wheel; at that point earth contained in said bucket will tend to flow from the back to the front thereof, release and discharge thereof being facilitated by said apertures 32. The contour of the bucket members 20 (FIG. 4) is such that the earth enters and is retained therein more easilyand efficiently but without undue adherance. Contrary to contours of usual bucket constructions, wherein the front space 34 is larger than the back space 35 of the excavating bucket 20, the excavating bucket of the invention comprises a back space 35 larger (wider) than the front space 34 (note, for example, FIG. 4), whereby the earth is scooped and wedged in two planes intothe bucket (rearwardly and downwardly) and also compressed and keyed in two planes and thus remains in the bucket until the bucket is essentially at the (top) ideal discharge point, viz. at that point the earth slides and discharges in line onto the conveyor belt structure 22 therebelow (FIG. 3). The side walls are interiorly contoured concavely as set forth and shown in the drawings (the specially contoured digging and bucket filling and emptying means is referred to above).

The bucket wall curvature causes the earth to fall onto instead of out of the bucket and forms a contouring, keying form into which the earth is pressed in two planes as the bucket scoops theearth, and facilitates sliding out of the earth at the proper medial position of rotation.

By virtue of the contour of the buckets, the bucke wall curvature causes earth to fall into the bucket instead of out of same, and, due to the absence of adherance or obstruction in the bottom of the bucket, the earth (at the discharge position) falls onto the earthmoving means 22. By virtue of the apertures 32, air moves through the excavating buckets 20 as they rotate, thereby preventing clogging of the bucket. Said apertures are provided in the back wall 31 adjacent the from opening 30 of the bucket at which point the movement of the earth, due to the vertical of the bucket, cooperates with the apertures in preventing locking of the earth in the bucket and allowing ready separation at said interface, accelerating and facilitating the smooth and automatic sliding emptying action.

The contour plate 50 (FIGS. 2 and 3) extends interiorly between the side plates 23 of the rotatable vertically-oriented wheel 21 (FIG. 3) over an arcuate portion thereof, with a downwardly directed slide portion 52 extending from the top segment thereof, and adjustment means 51 connected thereto. As the excavating bucket 20 is elevated from the bottom excavation position to the top discharge position, the earth begins to slide inwardly towards the center of the circular path of bucket movement, until it eventually discharges down the slide portion 52 onto the earth moving means 22. Any excess loose earth being carried in the excavating buckets tends to fall onto the contour plate 50, whereon it slides into and is scooped up by the next excavating bucket on the wheel and is carried therein to the slide portion 52 at which point it is discharged with the other contents of the bucket. Thereby loose earth is prevented from falling back into the trench or ditch. The adjustment means 51 (FIG. 2) for example, may comprise a nut and bolt arrangement to enable adjustment of contour plate position to move closer or further away from said excavating buckets and relative to a mounting means therefor to accommodate for wear and tear in the wheel side plate members, motor drive elements, or other members of the rotatable vertically-oriented wheel 21 While the present invention has been particularly set forth in terms of specific embodiments thereof, it will be evident in view of the instant disclosure, that numerous variations upon the invention are now enabled to those skilled in the art, which variations in propriety are yet within the true scope of this teaching. Accordingly, the invention is to be broadly construed, and limited only by the scope and spirit of the claims now appended hereto.

I claim:

1. In a trench digging machine of the type including a movable continuous digging unit having a plurality of excavating buckets mounted about the periphery of a rotatable vertically oriented wheel, said buckets being open at the front side thereof in the direction of rotation of said wheel, for first scooping and receiving earth and thereafter discharging earth, whereby, when said wheel is positioned for trench digging, said buckets scoop earth at the low points of wheel rotation and discharge earth at the high points of wheel rotation, and earth moving means adapted to receive said discharged earth from said buckets and to continuously move said earth from the vicinity of said wheel; the improvement'wherein each of said buckets includes:

1. arcuate back wall;

2. side walls forming said earth-receiving front opening and extending therefrom to said back wall,

3. said side walls defining generally converging, spaced apart, straight edges at said earth receiving front opening and being there so spaced apart a given distance, and

4. said side walls being spaced apart, at said back wall, a greater distance than the said given distance of spacing of the side walls at said front opening,

whereby, as said wheel rotates, earth will first be firmly moved into and held in the bucket, and, as the bucket approaches the high point in rotation of said wheel, earth contained in said bucket will tend to flow from the back to the front thereof, release and discharge thereof being facilitated thereby.

2. A trench digging machine as set forth in claim 1,

said side walls being interiorly contoured concavely from said straight edges to said rear wall.

3. A trench digging machine as set forth in claim 2,

wherein said bucket opening in the direction of said wheel rotation is lined with a continuous cutting edge.

4. A trench digging machine as set forth in claim 3, wherein said cutting edge is beveled.

5. A trench digging machine as set forth in claim 4, 

1. In a trench digging machine of the type including a movable continuous digging unit having a plurality of excavating buckets mounted about the periphery of a rotatable vertically oriented wheel, said buckets being open at the front side thereof in the direction of rotation of said wheel, for first scooping and receiving earth and thereafter discharging earth, whereby, when said wheel is positioned for trench digging, said buckets scoop earth at the low points of wheel rotation and discharge earth at the high points of wheel rotation, and earth moving means adapted to receive said discharged earth from said buckets and to continuously move said earth from the vicinity of said wheel; the improvement wherein each of said buckets includes:
 1. arcuate back wall;
 2. side walls forming said earth-receiving front opening and extending therefrom to said back wall,
 3. said side walls defining generally converging, spaced apart, straight edges at said earth receiving front opening and being there so spaced apart a given distance, and
 4. said side walls being spaced apart, at said back wall, a greater distance than the said given distance of spacing of the side walls at said front opening, whereby, as said wheel rotates, earth will first be firmly moved into and held in the bucket, and, as the bucket approaches the high point in rotation of said wheel, earth contained in said bucket will tend to flow from the back to the front thereof, release and discharge thereof being facilitated thereby.
 2. A trench digging machine as set forth in claim 1, said side walls being interiorly contoured concavely from said straight edges to said rear wall.
 2. side walls forming said earth-receiving front opening and extending therefrom to said back wall,
 3. said side walls defining generally converging, spaced apart, straight edges at said earth receiving front opening and being there so spaced apart a given distance, and
 3. A trench digging machine as set forth in claim 2, wherein said bucket opening in the direction of said wheel rotation is lined with a continuous cutting edge.
 4. A trench digging machine as set forth in claim 3, wherein said cutting edge is beveled.
 4. said side walls being spaced apart, at said back wall, a greater distance than the said given distance of spacing of the side walls at said front opening, whereby, as said wheel rotates, earth will first be firmly moved into and held in the bucket, and, as the bucket approaches the high point in rotation of said wheel, earth contained in said bucket will tend to flow from the back to the front thereof, release and discharge thereof being facilitated thereby.
 5. A trench digging machine as set forth in claim 4, wherein said cutting edge comprises a plate extending angularly outwardly of the outer edge of the bucket.
 6. A trench digging machine as set forth in claim 5, wherein said cutting edge is provided with an outwardly curved pointed lip portion. 